Governor Abercrombie Approves of Completed Honolulu International Airport Projects

HONOLULU — Governor Neil Abercrombie today inspected four recently completed improvement projects at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) that addressed needed repairs and greatly enhanced the airport’s appearance while incorporating Hawaii’s unique culture and environment.

“We turned these critical areas of concern into a positive by taking advantage of these opportunities to give the airport more of a Hawaiian sense of place,” said Governor Neil Abercrombie. “These repairs should have happened years ago and my administration addressed them immediately. Regardless of APEC, these improvement projects would have happened, but the fact that it’s completed in time for this momentous occasion speaks to the hard work and dedication of the staff that committed themselves to getting this done.”

As promised, the state Department of Transportation Airports Division (DOTA) completed the work in time for APEC, which starts later this month. The projects are:

• New Terrazzo flooring in the Ewa Concourse Pedestrian Breezeway that replaced decades old flooring, which had become a safety hazard and looked run-down. The project included a Hawaiian Navigational Compass designed by the Polynesian Voyaging Society located in the breezeway’s intersection. The project included other needed renovation work and cost approximately $2.4 million.
• The walkway from International Gates 24 & 25 and the entrance to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) have been completely renovated. The walkway was poorly lit and run-down in appearance; one section would flood during heavy rains. The ceiling at the IAB entrance was full of holes and falling apart. The walkway has been completely redone with a beach theme. The ceiling at the IAB entrance has been replaced with a vinyl wave design. The entire project cost approximately $2.7 million.
• The walkway from International Gates 24 & 25 and the entrance to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) have been completely renovated. The walkway was poorly lit and run-down in appearance; one section would flood during heavy rains. The ceiling at the IAB entrance was full of holes and falling apart. The walkway has been completely redone with a beach theme. The ceiling at the IAB entrance has been replaced with a vinyl wave design. The entire project cost approximately $2.7 million.
• Dozens of concrete planters have been replaced in the Ewa Concourse and damaged curbs, walls and drains have been replaced or repaired. The project cost $1.5 million.
• The three canopies just outside of the IAB exits have been replaced. For years, the ripped and torn fabric roofs were one of the first things international travelers saw when they stepped out of customs. The project cost $400,000.

“These are just some of the many examples of how Honolulu International Airport is transforming into a world class facility that the entire state can be proud of,” said Abercrombie. “This is just the beginning.”

Since the Abercrombie administration has come into office, DOTA has successfully refinanced its debt saving up to $19.6 million a year through 2021, started construction on the Emergency Power Facility for HNL through a public/private partnership with Hawaiian Electric saving the state millions, launched a new airport shuttle service that is faster, more convenient and serves all of Oahu (not just Waikiki), and increased the number of custodial and maintenance workers by 20-percent thanks to a combination of a mass hiring and the end of worker furloughs.

Other recent improvements at HNL have been completed that give the airport more of a uniquely Hawaiian sense of place. These include the renovation and redesign of  Lobby 8 with a back wall made of cast glass that depicts the Pacific Ocean, an audio welcome message that is played throughout the airport in Hawaiian and English every half-hour, five new display cases around the airport exhibiting different aspects of the Hawaiian culture, 17 new video displays in the International Arrivals Building that will show scenic videos of Hawaii, six paintings by Hilo born artist Kristie Fujiyama Kosmides (recently put on display in the International Arrivals Corridor) and a roaming band of Hawaiian musicians who perform at the airport regularly.

These changes have benefitted greatly by newly-formed partnerships between DOTA and such organizations as the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and Kamehameha Publishing.